In an article recently published for The Conversation, assistant professor of political science Charlie Hunt shared how despite having a Republican majority in the United States Senate and House of Representatives, the Trump administration will face challenges in passing legislation.
In the first Trump administration, Republicans had control of Congress by a much wider majority than the president will see in his second term. This makes passing partisan legislation much more difficult, often leading to “watered-down” versions of policy, according to Hunt. Additionally, Republican Congress members who oppose the president-elect could be motivated to vote against his more extreme agenda items, especially if they see that as a strategy for keeping their seat through the 2026 midterm election cycle.